Update (10:07 a.m. ET, Thursday): Logan Cooley is no longer listed on Utah’s injury report for Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, according to the official data. Cooley had been considered day-to-day with an upper body injury and a return date of Nov. 12, the same day as this game, and his removal from the report restores Utah’s leading goal scorer to the lineup picture for the series opener at Delta Center.
The St. Louis Blues and Utah Mammoth meet Thursday at Delta Center in the first matchup of the season series. St. Louis enters at 8-8-2 after beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Wednesday, while Utah sits at 10-8-1 following a 5-3 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights.
Blues Vs Mammoth Game Information
- Date: Thursday, Nov. 12
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Blues App, BN+, Utah 16, Mammoth+
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Who Starts In Goal For Each Team
Joel Hofer is projected to start for St. Louis, while Karel Vejmelka is listed as the probable starter for Utah, according to the official data. Both remain projections until the puck drops.
St. Louis has leaned on strong goaltending numbers this season, posting a .901 team save percentage compared to Utah’s .866 mark, a gap that has helped keep the Blues competitive despite a losing record.
How Have Both Teams Played Recently
St. Louis has split its last five, with road losses to the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils in overtime and the Nashville Predators before closing with Wednesday’s win over Detroit. Utah has lost three of its last five, falling at Philadelphia, Montreal in overtime, Ottawa and Vegas while sandwiching in a regulation win at Toronto.
Utah still holds the edge in the Central Division standings with 21 points to St. Louis’s 18, though both clubs sit in the bottom half of the group. For more on the Blues’ recent form, see the Red Wings vs Blues preview and the recap of their overtime loss to the Devils.
Cooley Injury Report Update Reshapes Utah’s Attack
The Cooley injury report update means Utah’s leading goal scorer is no longer designated with an injury ahead of Thursday’s game, according to the official data. Cooley had paced the Mammoth with 11 goals before the day-to-day designation, which carried a return date of Nov. 12, the day of this game.
Utah still has three players on injured reserve. Nate Schmidt (upper body) has a return date of Nov. 14, Dylan Guenther (upper body) is projected for Dec. 5, and John Marino (upper body) is listed for Nov. 21. Nick Schmaltz also carries a day-to-day designation for a lower body injury with a return date of Nov. 12, according to the official data.
St. Louis has three players on injured reserve as well. Torey Krug (left ankle) has no near-term return timeline listed in the current data, Dillon Dube (neck) is projected for Dec. 4, and Tyler Tucker (left knee surgery) carries a return date of Nov. 17.
The Key Matchup: Keller And Cooley Lead A Deeper Utah Attack
With Cooley no longer on the injury report, Clayton Keller and Cooley give Utah a deeper offensive group than the Mammoth had when Cooley’s designation was active. Keller leads Utah with 20 assists and 25 points, while Cooley’s 11 goals still pace the team. That trio of scoring threats will test a St. Louis defense that has surrendered 55 goals this season at a 3.06 goals-against average.
The Blues counter with Jimmy Snuggerud, who leads St. Louis with 10 goals and a team-high 14 points, and Robert Thomas, who leads the roster with 11 assists. Utah’s defense has given up 68 goals and carries a 3.58 goals-against average, so St. Louis’s top scorers will look to exploit a Mammoth blue line still missing three defensemen to injury even with Cooley back in the mix up front.
By The Numbers
- Goals: Utah 66, St. Louis 53
- Points: Utah 186, St. Louis 145
- Shots total: Utah 555, St. Louis 493
- Shooting percentage: Utah 11.9%, St. Louis 10.8%
- Save percentage: St. Louis .901, Utah .866
- Goals against average: St. Louis 3.06, Utah 3.58
- Power-play goals: Utah 23, St. Louis 11
- Faceoff percentage: Utah 53.5%, St. Louis 49.3%
- Penalty minutes: Utah 202, St. Louis 132
What To Watch
Utah’s power play has converted 23 goals this season compared to just 11 for St. Louis, a gap that could matter against a Blues penalty kill that will be without Tucker, Dube and Krug on the back end. With Cooley no longer listed on the injury report, Utah’s power play now has its full complement of top finishers available for Thursday.
St. Louis’s edge in team save percentage gives it a path to stay in games even when outshot, which has been the pattern much of the season. Both teams sit in the bottom half of the Central Division standings, making every point valuable as the season moves into mid-November.
For more on St. Louis’s season, see the recap of the Blues’ loss to the Predators and the Canadiens vs Blues preview from earlier this month.
St. Louis continues its road trip after Thursday, and Utah continues its homestand following the game against the Blues. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET at Delta Center.
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